Egao
by yumeyana
Summary: That was the only thing I wanted... to see that breathtaking smile on your beautiful face again.


**Author's Notes:** Hi! This is my very first Get Backers fic and it's in Jubei's POV. I was washing the dishes one night when Slam Dunk's second ending song, _Sekai ga Owaru Made Wa_, came into my mind along with images of Jubei protecting Kazuki. That was how this story was born. I hope someone will like this. Anyway, please read and review!

**Dedication:** To the GBS, may our days be more fun-filled as ever. 

--*--**--*--   

**_Egao_**

It was a day that seemed so ordinary as far as my other four senses were concerned. You and I were going to see Gen-sensei. It was a regular check-up to see if there was any progress with regard to the nerve endings in my eyes. Everything he did was routine. You were sitting beside me, the air of hope never leaving you. It made me smile. That belief you had that the day would come that I would see again was overwhelming. Because of that hope you had, I dared to hope too. 

I dared to hope that someday I would get to see that breathtaking smile on your beautiful face again. 

But I think it will never happen again. 

Gen-sensei was in the middle of the check-up when I heard Uryu came rushing followed by the sound of a big explosion below us. You were immediately on your feet, asking Uryu what was happening. Uryu explained that the Lower Town was being attacked by a powerful being, one even Kagami was having a hard time to beat. I heard you asking if anyone informed Raitei already, probably remembering Raitei's request to inform him if anything bad happens here. Uryu replied by saying that my Ane-chan had already gone to do so. 

Another explosion was heard and I stood up, asking Gen-sensei to redo the bandage on my eyes so that I could fight too. You were against it saying that I should finish the check up and let you go first. You said you wouldn't be alone. Uryu would be there and so would the others. But I didn't want to be left behind. I swore that I'd protect you at all costs and not even a check up could deter me from doing so.

Knowing how stubborn I was, you didn't argue with me anymore. 

It was a good thing that you didn't. Things were already getting too nasty when we located where the others were.

From the tone of your voice, I could hear that everyone was badly hurt. I could sense Makubex' shield, probably protecting the citizens nearby. I could smell blood. Blood that most likely came from our friends.

It was no use to tell you not to fight. I could feel your fighting spirit rise. Uryu was silent but I felt it in him, too. 

The enemy was controlling ice at will. I knew because it really felt cold. I also felt that this opponent was no match for any of us. 

And I was right.

In a matter of minutes, I could hear our heavy breathing. I could smell fresh blood. I could sense that your power had weakened much. Uryu, I could sense, was badly hurt too. 

We were all badly hurt. 

But we all had to keep defending the Lower Town until Raitei and the others would come. 

And so we kept on fighting. 

But the opponent was too powerful and we were lacking manpower. 

I coughed and blood spluttered from my mouth. 

I was not too far from where that bastard threw you. I could sense that you could barely stand. The same applied to most of us. The enemy, perhaps seeing our weakened states, summoned a very powerful ice attack to attack you that made the air surrounding us colder than ever.  

He wanted to finish the fight before any of us might tap to a mysterious power of some sort that lay in us. 

But we knew we didn't have any. We had already given everything we had.

I didn't know why it was directed at you and only at you but I decided I didn't care. The moment I felt it, I rushed towards you with all the speed and power I could muster. 

But I had no more needles left to make a field to protect you. I had no more power to make needles. But I swore that I'd protect you. 

And I will, even if I give my life for it.

"**JUBEI!**" I heard you scream as I stood in front of you, taking the ice attack that was supposed to hit you. 

Time seemed to tick by too slowly as the ice penetrated through my body. The pain was excruciating. The pain made me scream. The pain made me fall. The pain made you cry and rush to my side.

And as you held me in your arms, memories flooded in my mind as if a movie was replaying my life.

The moment I met you…

_… You were too beautiful for words. The moment I saw that face, I knew I blushed and said to myself that this was the girl I was meant to love and protect all my life. Then I discovered that you were a boy and I found myself not even minding it. You took my breath away and gave me a new life. A life that I would spend beside you._

The moment I swore that I would always protect you…

_… You seemed so alive and free. Your movements so graceful and so fluid – like the flowing river where I swore that oath. An oath I meant to keep even to the expense of my own life. Because I knew I wouldn't even mind if I were to lose my life to keep you alive. I had already fallen in love with you before even knowing your name. _

The moment we had to escape to Muugenjou because your family and mine were assassinated…

_… Tears were just flowing silently from your beautiful eyes as we ran from the fire. You weren't even yelling or getting mad or anything. You just kept your emotions intact, except for the tears that you let out. Tears that you couldn't hide. Tears that I hated to see in your eyes. Tears I swore you would never cry again._

The moments we spent training ourselves to become respected fighters…

_… It was not possible to live in Muugenjou and not be able to fight. Life in this fortress was about survival of the fittest. Only the most skilled people would get to live in here. That's why we trained day and night. Your eyes always burned with passion as we trained. A passion to become one of the best fighters. And I think this was because you wanted to give justice to what happened to your family._

The moment you formed Fuuga and you introduced me to Uryu…

_… But even after being one of the most respected fighters around, you never lost that child-like wonder in you. We formed Fuuga to protect the citizens of the __Lower__Town__. You were the leader and I remained behind you, your protector. But you said I was more than your physician and protector. I was your pillar of support. And that made me happy. Then you met Uryu. You were attracted to the way he moved whenever he fought – he seemed to dance, you said. And he was so much attracted to you as well. _

The moment you left after Raitei had left too, leaving me behind…

_… I remember feeling all alone and unwanted. You left without telling me. You left me and I didn't even understand why. Did I ever fail you or anything? Have I ever done anything to displease you? Did you not feel how important you are to me? Or how much I needed you? How much Muugenjou needed you? _

The moment I chose to follow Makubex' order, even if it was to kill you…

_… I felt betrayed when you left. I wasn't angry of anything, I just felt betrayed… unwanted… unneeded… But when Makubex ordered me to kill you, I could not do anything but obey. After all, I had chosen to believe in what Makubex believed in. But it was still heartbreaking to even think of killing the one person I cared about the most. In truth, I didn't want to hurt you. But the pain inside my heart had not yet ceased. And so I attacked you with everything that I had, but you defeated me. I was wrong, you made me realize. That's why I blinded myself. It was punishment for not believing in you. You didn't deserve to have someone like me beside you. But you believed otherwise. All this time, you still considered me as an important person in your life._

The moments we spent with each other just sitting side by side, hearing each other breathe, saying nothing but relaying a lot of things through our silence…

The moments you spent with me, trying to figure out how to regain my eyesight…

The moments I wished that I would regain my eyesight once again and see your smiling face…

But now I know that moment would never come. 

I will never get see that smile on your face again… 

I will never get to stay beside you again…

I will never get to fulfill my oath…

But for one last time, I want…

"Kazuki…"

You were crying; I could feel your tears as it dropped on my face. I raised my hand to touch your face. Probably seeing it, you held my hand and placed it on your cheek. My hands were shaking as I tried to wipe your tears away.

"Please smile for me again… for one last time… Onegai yo, Kazuki…"

More tears seemed to flow from your eyes. "Jubei, why are talking like that? You're not going to… please don't speak like that. You're not going to…"

"I know I am, Kazuki. Please. Just this once… smile for me for one last time…"

Tears seemed to flow even more, but I felt your lips slowly curve up. I traced your lips… I could almost see you smile, the way you used to do. How that curve seemed to straighten every crooked line. How that smile seemed to brighten up all of the dark corners of Muugenjou. How that smile would always bring life to all the people you meet … especially to me…

And I will never see that smile again…

But I know I will have that smile imprinted in my heart forevermore. As you will always be. Not even death can take that away from me…

"Thank you… Kazuki… I love you…"

You were trembling. You knew I was already leaving you and you just wanted to hold on. I wanted to hold on too… 

But I knew it was already too late.

You held me closer and I can feel your heart breaking.

Kami… Onegai… let me hear… let me know if you love me …

"I love you too, Jubei…" you whispered in my ear. 

A smile formed on my lips. 

Kami, arigato…

Sayonara, Kazuki… my love…

The sky crackled, the rain fell down, signifying the tears falling down from one's eyes as a name was screamed in anguish and despair.

"**JUBEI!!!**"

-Owari

19April2k4, 06:24p

Like it? Hate it? Please tell me! Push that review button down there!

**Disclaimers:** Get Backers and all its characters belong to Rando Ayamine & Yuuya Aoki. Only the storyline is mine. 

_Egao_ is copyright Yumehime Yana Hossuru 19April2oo4, 06:24p. No part of this story may be duplicated without the consent of the author. All rights reserved. 2004. 


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